When the 2026 NFL schedule dropped, it didn’t take long for former Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. to circle a date on his calendar.
His cryptic yet clear message on X—“Get back don’t have a date ‼️”—sent a ripple through the DMV. But for Commanders fans, the real question is: Which version of Emmanuel Forbes will show up at Northwest Stadium in Week 9?
The Ghost of Christian Gonzalez and a Regime’s Fatal Flaw
To understand the magnitude of Forbes’ failure in D.C., you have to go back to the war room during the 2023 NFL Draft. When previous head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew went on the clock with the 16th overall pick, they were staring at Oregon standout Christian Gonzalez—a prototypical, physically dominant shutdown corner.
Instead, Washington shocked draft boards and selected Forbes. Rivera was infatuated with Forbes’ NCAA-record six pick-sixes, calling him a “turnover machine,” while Mayhew declared him “the total package.” The regime completely ignored the glaring 166-pound red flag. The mistake haunted the franchise almost instantly. While Gonzalez went one pick later to the New England Patriots—where he recently had his fifth-year option triggered and established himself as a defensive cornerstone—Forbes was routinely bullied by NFL-caliber wide receivers.
His rookie season was disastrous, highlighted by an embarrassing Week 4 outing where Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown physically overpowered him for 175 yards and two touchdowns, leading to Forbes’ benching.
The Washington Exit
When Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters arrived to clean house in 2024, Forbes was living on borrowed time. He didn’t fit Quinn’s vision of a physical, imposing defense. After dealing with a thumb injury and continuing to struggle in coverage, Washington made the ruthless but necessary decision to cut their losses. On November 30, 2024, they waived the former first-round pick before his second season even concluded.
A Clean Slate in Los Angeles
The NFL is a league of second chances, and the Los Angeles Rams quickly claimed him from waivers.
After arriving in L.A., the fresh start paid off. During the 2025 season, Forbes played all 17 regular season games for the Rams, logging over 800 defensive snaps. Sheltered in a different scheme he showed sustained flashes of the playmaker Rivera thought he was drafting, recording 45 tackles, three interceptions and an impressive 18 passes defensed. He played with fresh swagger, helping L.A. make an extended playoff run to the NFC Championship Game.
The Week 9 “Revenge Game”
Now, the stage is set for a high-stakes collision at Northwest Stadium.
Despite his 2025 resurgence, Forbes enters this season fighting for his career. The Rams recently declined his fifth-year option, officially making 2026 a contract year for the 25-year-old. What better stage to secure a long-term future in the league than against the franchise that gave up on him?
For the Commanders, Week 9 is a chance to validate their decision to move on and prove that passing on Christian Gonzalez was Rivera’s mistake, not Quinn’s problem. For Forbes, it’s exactly what he tweeted: a “get back” game.
